Gliding. I have huge respect for anybody who goes gliding, especially cross country gliding. By doing this you will truly learn the fine art of control. There is a glider in a trailer in my hangar which could be mine for the asking, or at least mine to use. I'm thinking about getting it for the kids. I see 100 hours of glider time as a real asset. I think winch tows are $10 and air tows are $40. The rest is free. Linden Nevada is a great place to learn how to glide.
A&P Mechanics school is also great place to get a career going in the right direction. The ONLY way to own an aircraft is have the knowledge to work on it yourself. It also gets you on to the right side of the fence where you meet people with planes. A&P school cost about $7000 and takes about 18 months and gives you 31 college credit hours.
In the US there are hundreds of cargo feeders all over the country. Planes like Cessna Caravans, Beech 1900s, Metroliners, Queen Airs. You fly late evening and early morning and have the rest of the day to yourself. You can study for a degree, flight instruct or pleasure fly all day.
Europeans can 'Pay to Play' to ride along and build time. I believe it's $35 an hour, of which $5 goes to the Captain. Check out Ameriflight, Key Lime Air, Martinaire, or (I don't know how to spell it, but it's a town in Minnesota) something like Bemidgi. They operate many ex US Army U-8 Seminoles (Queen Airs).